Proud
by Mei de Famille
Summary: Ichigo came for her birthday in Soul Society, and found that Rukia was no longer a girl need to be rescued. Sequel to "Lovely Lie". This is Rukia's birthday gift submitted for the give away on DB. Enjoy.


He was ready. Everything he needed was already to go. Now he just had to make a move. The orange hair shinigami daiko was heading to Soul Society for one day that he had planned many weeks ago: Rukia's birthday. She came to the living world for his birthday so he decided this time, it was his turn to visit her on her birthday. But unfortunately, 14 Jan is Monday, so he couldn't come, due to his classes. That was why he decided to visit her on Sunday 13th, and when this day wasn't her birthday, he could have a whole day with her. Giving himself a grin, he used his badge to let go of his body and went to Urahara place for some help to enter Soul Society.

Looking at the calendar, Rukia thought 'Why today was Sunday but I had so much work to do?'. But she accepted it nevertheless, since she knew that this was her duty. In addition, she could have less work on her birthday, which was the next day. Sighing, she left to do her job.

"Yo!"

Arriving at the 13th squad barrack, she saw someone with a bright orange hair was at the gate waving to her, and that could only be one person, one man. Ichigo. But why did he come here? He said he would come to her birthday but…did he mistake her birthday? If she was right, then Ichigo would end his life sooner than he thought. She came closer to him, faced him and asked:

"what can I do for you Ichigo?"

"Hey is this the way to talk to someone that comes for your birthday?"

"Are you fool? My birthday is tomorrow!" – she said as she kicked him.

"Of course I remember it is 14th Jan. But tomorrow is Monday, I have to go to school, remember?"

"Oh yes Monday, school, you're student. Ok I'm sorry. But actually I don't have free time today. So much work needs to be done. I can't go out with you."

"I know you have to work today, thanks to my "secret spy" and I have a solution!" – he paused when Rukia gave him a glare for the word "secret spy" but he continued saying nevertheless. He bowed his head and used a fake voice to say to Rukia.

"Fukutaichou! I am Kurosaki Ichigo your new subordinate today. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!"

"Wait wait you can't decide it!" – Rukia, half exciting, half irritating by his fake voice, asked in confusing.

"Don't worry. I have Ukitake-san permission for this."

"But you still can't do this!" – Although she was very happy to have him be her side for almost a day long, she couldn't let him be her subordinate. Why he didn't simply ask to be the guest of the 13th squad?

"Hey why do you against this? This is what I want! Don't you want me to work with you? Come on, it's gonna be a lot of fun! " – Ichigo pleaded, he really was eager to do this when he first had this idea brought to mind.

"Are you sure? It'll not be easy." – Rukia asked once again. Irritating with her stubbornness, Ichigo leaded her inside the barrack and said instead of his answer:

"Ok, let's work!"

They started the day with the paper work which was remained from the day before and then received a lot of new papers to complete. The first order of Rukia to Ichigo wa helping her with those papers. Ichigo, who always hated paper works, quickly felt boring and irritating with those things. But when he looked at Rukia, ready to complaint, he immediately stopped. What he saw was a concentrated, hard-working vice captain who completed each sheet of paper very quickly, while had to answer tons of questions and disturbing from other subordinates, especially those loudly Kiyone and Sentarou. He looked at her for a while more admiring her in this work, until Rukia gave him a glare to send him back to his work.

Grumbling, Ichigo wondered when those damn papers would end. To his luck, Rukia finally sent him to another duty as she finished all of her papers .Rukia knew that this kind of paper works wasn't the thing that Ichigo loved to do but she'd like to torture him. But now it seemed he couldn't bare it any more so she decided to end the torture for him.

"Jeez thanks! But how about those remainings?"

"Don't worry, there will be someone else finish those. And you did most of it, good job Ichigo."

"Thanks. Now what's next?"

"The 13th division is ordered to go to the West of Rukongai and investigate some mysterious missing there. Maybe there is a hollow." – Rukia read the information in the letter that was sent by morning.

"Great, this is more interesting than papers!" – Ichigo cheered, he was a fighter not a secretary.

"Yes but it's more dangerous too." She said as they walked out of the office and head to the common yard where other shinigamis were gathered, prepared for the journey. Rukia said to all of the shinigamis of the squad with a loud, mature voice.

"Now we are going to a dangerous mission, so I want all of you to be very careful. And all of you have to have an eye on others, don't die alone. Am I clear?"

"Yes, fukutaichou!" –They chorused.

"Ok then, I need the 1st, 2nd, 3rd team to go with me, and others stay here to wait for later instruction."

"Roger" – and they began their mission.

They arrived at the Rukongai 30 minutes later. This place was very quiet, a scary silence. There was a forest and Rukia ordered her men to split up and searched in the forest, while another team went to villages near by to ask for information. 10 minutes laters, there wasn't anything happened. The residents of those villages almost didn't know anything, except the children were missing day by day, they didn't know why or how. Suddenly, a loud voice yelled in the forest, focused all the attentions. Exchanging looks to each other, Rukia and Ichigo dashed to the forest where the voice was, Rukia didn't forget to tell others to stay right at they were before going. When Rukia and Ichigo arrived, a strong and creepy creature was attacking shinigamis, injured everywhere.

"stand back!" – Rukia ordered – "Those who is not hurt bring the injured out of this forest and call 4th division immediately!"

Others did as she said and quickly there was only Rukia, Ichigo and few shinigami left.

"Rukia, I'll handle this. You go help the injured!" – Ichigo said

"Ichigo, I'm the one who make order here. And this is my job." – when these two were busy arguing, the creature sent a hit to the subordinates. Fast as lightning, Rukia dashed to their place and attacked it, and had a small cut on her arm.

"Are you OK?" – They nodded – "good, now you guys spread out and use sealing kido to cage it while I and Ichigo distract it." – Nodded, they did as Rukia said.

The creature was not easy to handle, but Ichigo and Rukia quickly finished it, with the help of the subordinate. When they fought, Rukia didn't let Ichigo do too much, she almost did it by her own. Although he was really not please about that, he had to admit that now Rukia was much stronger than before. And her ability to instruct other shinigami so that the fight would end quickly made him admire so much. They tied the creature and as in order, sent it to the 12th division to test. Ichigo stood watching Rukia doing her job, wondered when she did become such a great vice captain. His Rukia wasn't a small girl who needed to rescue anymore, but a strong and wonderful vice captain. While thinking, a sudden attack by a different creature was sent to him. Immediately, Rukia used flash step to his side and saved him, as well as defeated the creature. This was the same creature as the first, but smaller.

"Thank you Rukia'' – Now she saved him, not he saved her!

"I said you had to careful! Don't you remember?"

"Sorry sorry. I didn't know that was another one."

As they talked, the small creature which was tying disappeared and replaced by the children, covered with thing like glue. The thing like glue quickly joined together to form a creature looked like amip. Camly, Rukia sent a red fire to annihilate it.

"So this thing combines the children and makes a monster. But why it chooses children and how it works, we leave the study for the 12th squad." – Rukia said, indicated to her men to bring the creature to the 12th division right away.

Ichigo looked at her, now was finished all the work in admiring. When did she become so amazing? She seemed to grown up a lot in the past few years, and maybe more mature than him. And she looked really beautiful while she worked, like a goddess in the sunlight.

"Ichigo, why do you still stand there? Let's go back to the division." – Rukia said, came closer to faced him.

"Rukia."

"What?"

"Did I say this before? You're grown up."

"What? Of course I am." – how could people not grow up with the year passed?

"No, I mean you are much more mature than before and become a very beautiful woman." – Ichigo said this like this was a obvious thing. The word "beautiful" made Rukia blushed, her face reddened.

"Why you say such a thing in a place like this?"

"Naa, just my opinion after half day working with you. And did I say this before? Your new hair makes you look mature and sexier, honestly"

This made Rukia blushed harder, when Ichigo seemed like he was saying the obvious truth. Eventually, Rukia managed to say: "Thank you". Then they went back to the division. The rest of a day passed by peacefully, with some minor work such as cleaning, training,… The working day finished, everybody went home, except Rukia and Ichigo. Ichigo told her to stay in her office while he went to prepare something. But of course she didn't stay in her office, she wandered around the garden and found a great place in the high tree to watch the sunset.

"Did I say that you stayed in the office?" – A voice broke the silence as she was watching the sunset.

"When did you give me order and I have to follow?" – Rukia retorted.

"Yeah, I knew that you wouldn't listen to me. Ok, come down here, I have something for you."

Rukia came down from the tree and Ichigo leaded her to a place that he had prepared few minutes ago in one side of the garden. A table appeared with food, wine, candle and a peach cake, all were perfectly arranged and waiting for the mistress of that night. The light from the candle twinkled like stars, haunted the space with the very romantic atmosphere. Amazed by what Ichigo had done, Rukia looked at him as she mocked him:

"Kurosaki-kun! Why so bold today?"

"Che, so you want a simple party with only a blanket? Fine, I'll remember."

"I didn't mean that! Uhmmm, thank you Ichigo. This is so great. " – She said, kissing his cheek.

In reply, He snaked his arms around her waist to pull her closer and kissed her passionately. Seperating from the kiss, Ichigo covered her face in his hands as he looked into her amethyst eyes.

"You're becoming a mature and very beautiful woman, Rukia. I'm very proud of you. Now no one can say that you're a small girl and can do nothing."

Blushing, Rukia turned her head and laid her cheek on his chest, as she leaned into his warmth.

"Thank you. It's really a great birthday I ever have."

"Now come and eat." – Ichigo leaded her to the table, pulled out the chair and sat her down. Taking the glass now had wine inside, they cheered for the wonderful birthday night. They ate and shared some story as happiness and romantic covered the garden. This night was going to be a wonderful night that both of them would never forget.

…

"Ichigo"

"Huh?"

"Why peach cake? You know that I like strawberry cake."

"Sorry, the store was out of strawberry cake when I came to buy. Although…peach…is…"

"You're going to say….that peach is the heart that upside down, right?"

"yes yes, that what I mean" – no, he meant another thing when he said about peach, but she would never know.


End file.
